Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
Bernard Connor was transported on the Kinnear, departing 10th Jul 1842 and arriving 23rd Oct 1842 with 174 passengers.
Built 1834 at Yarmouth. Wood barque of 369 Tons. (Register of persons transported is not yet completed - currently being listed.) 1842 Voyage. OCT. 23. - Arrived the barque Kinnear, Lidderdale master, from Dublin 10th July, with 180 male prisoners, Surgeon Superintendent - G. J. Fox, Esq. The guard consists of Captain Bull (with Mrs. Bull, 4 children, and 1 female servant), and 30 rank and file of the 99th Regt., - 4 women, and 6 children. Colonial Times (Hobart) 25 Oct 1842.
Kinnear (generic)References
| Primary Source | Tasmanian Archives - convict records; names index. |
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Convict Notes
Francis King, Patrick Lalor, James Kelly, John Kirkwood, and Bernard Connor, were indicted for highway robbery, and stealing from the person of Andrew Reid, on the 3th of February, bank notes value £3 10s. From the evidence of the prosecutor Reid, who was examined by Mr. Schoales, it appeared that he had been in Coleraine market the of February, selling pork, and that when a short distance from town, on the No Limavady road, between the hours of two and three o’clock, he was walking a piece behind his horse and cart, and observed five men on on the roadside, one of whom was sitting with a board on his knee, on which were three thimbles. One of the men asked him to try his fortune, which he refused, when three of them took hold of him, and the fourth put his hand into his pocket and took out his money. The three continued some time to hold him till the other two made their escape. Did not know the prisoners that time, but from the observation which he took of them he was able to identify four of them out of seven men who were shewn him in Coleraine bridewell on the 28th of February. Betty Kane was examined, and stated that she was on the road Reid was robbed, and saw the men holding him taking the money, from him; identified Bernard Connor ; was sure that he was one of the men she saw holding Reid. Sub constable Edward Lee, examined by Oliver Sprowle, Esq.- Arrested three of the prisoners in Moire, the county of Down, other two ran off. Thomas McElroy, examined by Cileries Malnnn, Esq.—Pursued after and took two other prisoners into custody ; ; this was on the February 7, prisoners, when brought into, asked what they were arrested for, when their names and the crime charged against them were read out the Hue and Cry, which they first denied, but afterwards said that they had won the money fairly. Joseph Power, who said was journeyman tailor, and on tramp at the time near Coleraine, was examined Mr. Doherty, and swore that he was present when the prosecutor Reid lost three notes betting with the thimble-man. Reid was here called and re-examined, and declared that he never any bet in his life. A woman who was deformed, having but the stumps of her arms and hands, gave similar testimony to that of Power, as to Reid losing the money gambling with the thimble-man. The jury, without a minute’s deliberation, returned verdict of guilty, to transported for 15 years Londonderry Sentinel, 19 March 1842.
Bernard Connor, Francis King, Patrick Lawler, James Kelly, 2nd, and John Kirkwood, stealing £3 16.0 from Andrew Read. In Francis King’s entry on the Indent, he stated “I won the money at thimble rigging, he then said he had been robbed.” All the others subsequently were marked Ditto. James Kelly stated on the section marked Trade, that his trade was a labourer, but that he “lived 4 or 5 years by thimble rigging.” On Bernard Connor’s Conduct Record, it records that he was a “thimble rigger.” Thimble rigging was a form of gambling, where the operator rapidly moved about three inverted thimbles, one of which concealed a token, and the other player bets on which thimble the token is under.
The following letter, published in the Launceston Examiner, 12 Nov 1867, gives insight into Bernard's Conviction for theft of a rope and subsequent punishment of 14 days imprisonment with hard labour. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/36647185?searchTerm=Bernard Connor
The following may apply to this Bernard Connor. WARATAH, Nov 30. An old man, named Bernard O'Connor, was discovered this morning by the police in the act of committing suicide by cutting his throat, and was taken into custody upon the charge. The wound is not of a dangerous character. O'Connor, who is infirm, has lately been despondent and has hinted at self-destruction. Launceston Examiner, 1 Dec 1886. MR. A. JONES, Superintendent of the Invalid Depot, supplies the following Return of the deaths for the quarter ending June 30: Bernard Connors, 77, senility, Ireland; Launceston Examiner, 2 Jul 1888. https://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD35-1-57p21j2k Deaths in Launceston District, 1888. Date of death: 5 June 1888, Bernard Connors, (I. Depot), male, age 77, Invalid, Cause: Senility, Informant: Undertaker, Launceston.
Bernard CONNORS was convicted at Londonderry on 17 Mar 1842 for Highway Robbery - others also convicted and sentenced for this offence. 15 yr transportation sentence. Sent to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) per the 'Kinnear' 1842. Ship Surgeon's Report: employed in the hold. Very good & willing. Married man - wife Mary Mc..ally, 2 children. Aged 30 yrs; carter & labourer; Roman Catholic; can read; 5'10 3/4". Native Place: Monaghan Father: Thomas Sisters: Sarah, Ann & Ellen 3 yr Probation Period in Colony. Assigned to various work services. Ticket of Leave granted 13 Mar 1849. Conditional Pardon approved 11 Jan 1853. Application for Permission to Marry: 15 Aug 1851 - to Bridget Devlin (trans per 'Lord Auckland') n.b. remarriages were permitted in Australia as a Conditional Pardon did not permit the person to return to Britain. 1 Apr 1852 - to Bridget Veale (trans per 'Maria'). Approved. 21 June 1852: Marriage to Bridget Veale at Church of England, Franklin, district of Hobart. Bernard aged 36yrs; labourer; widower. Bridget aged 23yrs, spinster. (Ref. 37/1/11 no. 612) n.b. There is another Bernard Connor who arrived in 1841 per 'Richard Webb'. 13 Jul 1860: Child Mary Ann born (registered as "O'Connor". Westbury district. Father - Bernard O'Connor. Mother - Bridget Vale. 17 Sept 1862: Query registration for the birth of a Bridget "O'Connor" at Emu Bay. Father - Bernard "O'Connor". Mother Bridget Bail (?Vale or Veale). 2 Nov 1867 at Wynyard: Petty Larceny. 14 days hard labour. 20 Nov 1867 at Wynyard: Threatening to shoot. Bound over to keep the peace. 10 Apr 1879: wife Bridget Connor died - cause typhoid fever. Aged 50yrs, labourer's wife. Emu Bay (Burnie) district. 22 May 1883: Marriage to Catherine Hutton at Emu Bay district (Waratah). Bernard aged 70 yrs, a splitter, widower. Catherine aged 49, dressmaker, widow.